Winner pays for All!
by pippin da great
Summary: Just a nice light fic about our two favourite Hobbits paying a little visit to the Green Dragon...


"Pippin! Stop walking into me!"  
  
"I can't help it! It's dark!"  
  
"No it isn't! You can see perfectly well! Now take those burdocks off my back, or you will be buying me drinks for the whole night."  
  
"Hmph."  
  
It was late evening, and Merry and Pippin were making their way down to the Green Dragon. In the near dark, Pippin had been picking burdocks off the stalks at the side of the track and sticking them onto the back of Merry's waistcoat, something he had been doing for years. At Merry's words, Pippin started pulling at the spiny plants and flicking them on to the ground. Without warning he stuck his leg out in front of Merry, hoping to catch the older hobbit off guard, but he deftly stepped over it and carried on walking.  
  
"You can't fool me Pip, I know you too well!"  
  
"So where did you go with Estella after Fatty played his solo?"  
  
"I was...we were..." Pippin raised his eyebrows, "Did you see Frodo danci..."  
  
"Don't change the subject!"  
  
"Oh fine, if you must know we went to the old barn off Dandelion Market."  
  
"And..."  
  
"And....we..."  
  
"Meriadoc! Peregrin! Glad you could make it!" They were approached by a familiar old hobbit with greying hair.  
  
"Hullo Gaffer!" said Pippin.  
  
"As if we would ever pass up a chance to visit the Green Dragon!" Exclaimed Merry  
  
"I thought as such! Come in, we've been waiting!"  
  
As the three hobbits entered the inn, a wave of smoke and noise hit them. They were welcomed warmly by the barman, as they were known for purchasing very large quantities of alcohol on visits to this particular pub! The Gaffer guided them through a mass of tables and chairs to a bench in the corner of the room. Two more familiar faces peered at them out of the gloom.  
  
"Fancy seeing you here!" Called Frodo, grinning, "Your pints have been sitting on the table for ages! Its a wonder they are still full!"  
  
"Well they won't be for long!" Announced Merry, taking a seat and a large swig from his mug. They sat and talked for a while, pints disappearing down their throats until a loud voice from somewhere near the bar announced a drinking competition. Merry and Pippin looked at each other and grinned simultaneously. Handing their pipes to Sam they made their way up to where numerous hobbits had gathered for the fun.  
  
"You coming Frodo?" Yelled Pippin across the room.  
  
"Not today! You know what happened last time." Frodo's pale cheeks flushed as his mind went back to the last drinking game he had taken part in. An event he would rather forget!  
  
"Fair enough!" Pippin was too bothered with getting his first drink to argue, and Frodo and Sam were left to watch the fun from afar.  
  
Twelve hobbits had chosen to take part in the game, and they stood around a round table at the end of the room, Pippin being the youngest, a mere 26 compared to Folto Boffin at 70.  
  
"You know I'm going to beat you Pip!" Taunted Merry.  
  
"I will not be beaten by a Brandybuck!" replied the young Took. As he downed his first pint.  
  
seven drinks later and only six of the twelve were left standing, including Merry, Pippin and Fatty. Indeed, these were the only three still going strong! The others were weaving and taking deep breaths, so as not to vomit in front of the crowd. Two later and only four were still up. another three and the cousins were the only ones still on two legs!  
  
"Want to give up while you still can Took?" teased Merry as they started their thirteenth brew.  
  
"You should be so lucky!" all eyes were on the still drinking pair at the table and neither of them seemed to be slowing up, although they had started to get slightly tipsy.  
  
"Pippin, are you sure you want to keep going?" called Frodo "What if your father walked in?"   
  
"He won't! He had some business in Buckland, won't be home for another few days!" Pippin replied.  
  
Two more pints later and the two were still up. Just. Merry swayed on his feet and nearly fell but righted himself just in time.  
  
"Lightweight!" Called Pippin, who starting his sixteenth drink.  
  
"We'll see who's the lightweight when I win!" Replied Merry before picking up his drink and taking another long draught.  
  
Everyone in the pub had stopped what they were doing to focus on the antics when...  
  
THUNK  
  
Merry's tankard fell from his hand and spilled on the floor, closely followed by the rest of the hobbit.  
  
"Peregrin wins! Well done master Took!" The barman announced, and the room was filled with the sounds of cheers and congratulations to the winning hobbit. Suddenly, a peculiar look came over Pippin's features, and he ran through the crowd and out the front door. The sounds of liquid hitting the floor floated in through the open door, followed by a groan. It seemed that Pippin had just emptied most of the contents of his stomach into the bushes at the entrance of the pub.  
  
"Fool of a Took!" Muttered Frodo, as he ventured outside to assist the poor lad. He resisted the urge to tell him "I told you so" as he saw the young hobbit bent double, retching over a flowerbed. "You never learn!" Frodo joked.  
  
"At least I..." Pippin leaned over again before finishing, "won!" He gave a lopsided smile. 'Some things will never change!' Thought Frodo as he put Pippin's arm over his shoulder and supported him into the pub.  
  
They were greeted by cheers and applause as they stumbled in. Merry had been roused, seemingly by a bucket of water as he was dripping wet, and came over to greet the pair.  
  
"Well done Pip, I never thought I'd see the day when a Took beat a Brandybuck at drinking! Mind you, you might have won the game...but the winner pays!" Pippin's face fell and the whole inn roared with laughter.  
  
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AN. Just a one shot, but might write more nice fics like that...so different to my usual style! If you want me to write more, tell me! 


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